


Darker Edges

by killunary



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Apparently it didn't prosper very much like wow y'all couldn't make, But anyways I had fun writing this, F/M, In my defense I had heard it while I was watching a video dedicated to my, It's fuck Riverdale forever on this side of the hood but as if my stupid ass, So fuck kpop for the obvious reason that it's an antiblack ass industry, and wow they really put their foot into that song, baby girl J/nnifer P/erce a little while ago and finally listened to it today, but damn does I Like That by Sistar fuckin SLAP, could ever let go of Josie and Archosie, yourselves useful and make it the hit deserved before they disbanded
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 13:57:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14594514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killunary/pseuds/killunary
Summary: She didn't like this new darkness she could see, could feel in him.





	Darker Edges

**Author's Note:**

  * For [J0SIES](https://archiveofourown.org/users/J0SIES/gifts).



> So J0SIES, I need to take the time real quick to thank u for requesting to add Nicknames to your fic collection!! You're a writer that I have so much respect for so the fact that you considered my fic well written enough to add to your collection made my heart sing!!:'D So, I didn't forgot how you were sweet enough to write me a fic last year just for doing something as simple as leave comments on your fics so I cooked this up for you.;) I hope you like it!!:D

_Protect. Protect. Protect._

           

 

Archie leaned against the wall, exhaustion in the sag of his shoulders, stress and a whole array of emotions robbing his eyes of their usual brilliant shine. God, he was so tired. Closing his eyes, he rested the side of his head against the wall, imagining it as his pillow back home in his bedroom.

           

 

_Ronnie. Betty. Jughead. Dad. The town. You must protect them._

           

 

Not even his mother’s reappearance had been enough to help him get a good night’s rest. How could he rest when that fuckin _murderer_ was still on the loose? How could he think of anything else? Archie suddenly wasn’t breathing evenly through his nose, instead letting out puffs of ragged, heavy breaths and balling his fists as his mind took him back to that night at Pop’s.

 

_That monster almost took dad. He’d pay with his life. I will be the one to end what he started once and for all, even if the price is my life._

           

 

So much blood… There had been so much of his father’s blood pooling around his still body. And he’d just _frozen_! He’d frozen when he should’ve stopped the Black Hood, should’ve tackled him to the ground, should’ve done fuckin _something_ , other than stand there paralyzed with fear and sorrow.

           

 

_Protect! Protect! Do all that you can to protect them!_

           

 

“Well, are you just gonna stand outside the lounge like a weirdo or are you gonna come in?”

           

 

The sarcastic voice made Archie’s eyes snap open. He blinked at the lovely girl standing with her arms crossed in front of the lounge entrance. Josie. He wondered why she suddenly looked so concerned, unwinding her slender arms from around her chest as she stared down at an area of his body that certainly wasn’t his face.

           

 

“You’re bleeding.”

           

 

Josie was standing in front of him in the blink of an eye, Archie trying to get his breathing back under control as he watched the beauty place both her small hands on top his larger, balled ones. He blinked at the realization of the trails of blood dripping down from the skin of his palms. Huh, he hadn’t felt a thing. Her gentle touch made his hands respond, his bloodied palms now fully visible, crescent moon shaped indents in the skin. Her fingertips were brushing lightly against his palms.

           

 

Josie took her hands back, clearing her throat as she looked away, slightly embarrassed at what she’d just done. “You should get that checked out, Gingerlake. I think the nurse still hasn’t left the school yet.”

           

 

Archie smiled warmly at the flustered girl. “Thanks, Josie but I’m fine.”

           

 

Josie sighed, rolling her eyes, finally looking back at the boy. “Look, if you’re gonna hurt yourself, do it after the musical.”

           

 

Archie laughed. “Will do.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket, giving her one last smile. “I’ll see you later, Josie.”

           

 

Josie sighed, heading back into the lounge. Sitting down, she stared at her lap. Today wasn’t the first time she sensed his presence outside of the lounge but what _was_ the first time was Josie coming out to confront him about it. He’d been doing this weird shit for close to two weeks now. She didn’t understand why he just wouldn’t come the hell in like a normal person, instead of stand outside for a couple of minutes before leaving. Not that she was itching for his company in the lounge but she would just really appreciate it if he stopped acting so…unlike himself.

           

 

Josie came back to the lounge the following day after rehearsals, getting herself situated in a chair before pulling out her notebook to do some songwriting. In fifteen minutes, she’d written two songs. Josie smirked to herself. And they were some pretty damn _good_ songs, too. Josie’s moment of self-pride was cut short, the beautiful songstress growling as she felt the familiar presence of a certain redhead outside the lounge.

           

 

Setting her notebook aside, the fiery teen got up, stomping toward the entrance.

           

 

Archie bit the inside of his cheek, his bandaged hand gripping the strap of his backpack. He hadn’t been standing near the lounge for very long. Should he actually go inside this time?

           

 

“You haven’t shown me a new song you’ve written in a while,” Archie remembered his father saying, his tone one of disappointment.

           

 

His father was right. He hadn’t shown him a song or even written one, since the Black Hood declared war on Riverdale. He really missed it. Songwriting had been so much fun, had took him and his mind to a really calm, peaceful place. God, and he can’t remember a recent time when he hasn’t been stressed. He’d been coming down to the lounge for two weeks now always with the intention to sit down and write music but he always found himself backing out and turning around.

           

 

Archie nearly jumped back in surprise when Josie burst out of the lounge, annoyance written all over her pretty face. “J-Josie. Hey.”

           

 

Josie scoffed, rolling her eyes. She jabbed her thumb toward the lounge. “Andrews, get the hell inside the lounge.”

           

 

Archie laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head as he meekly walked by Josie and into the lounge. He sat on the couch, seeing Josie sit down in the chair next to it out of the corner of his eye.

           

 

Josie found herself unable to get back into her flow, too distracted by Archie’s presence. Ugh, she should’ve just let him loiter outside. She looked over at him. A notebook was in his lap, the boy tapping a pen against the blank page as he stared almost helplessly at it. Josie cleared her throat to get his attention, Archie immediately looking in her direction.

           

 

Josie folded her hands in her lap. “Look, I’m not saying it hasn’t been weirding me out that you’ve just been standing outside the lounge like a freak for the past two weeks but—” Josie paused, her countenance understanding. “—you _have_ been through a lot recently.”

           

 

Archie smiled at her sharp, yet kind words.

           

 

Josie reluctantly smiled back.

           

 

Archie’s eyes traced the bandages wrapped around his hands. “Sorry. With a lunatic on the loose, I shouldn’t have been doing that. Hopefully, I didn’t scare you.” He sighed, closing his eyes. “Music used to help take my mind off of things. But I can’t afford to stop thinking about making sure that murderer di—”

           

 

Archie’s silence made Josie feel uneasy. He’d come into the lounge looking as drained and stressed as he’d been during rehearsals but now… There was a certain darkness about him now. “Light” was what Archie Andrews was, though, not “darkness”.

           

 

— _dies by my hand_. Those had been the words to almost slip from Archie’s mouth. He sighed internally in relief that he stopped himself in time. Clearing his throat, Archie continued, “—is brought to justice. I can’t afford to stop thinking about making sure that murderer is brought to justice.”

           

 

The dark edge in his demeanor was slowly beginning to fade. With a sigh in her voice, Josie said, “You may be a good, brave person, Andrews but you’re not a superhero.”

           

 

Archie looked back at her. She was looking at him with worried, gentle eyes.

           

 

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

           

 

Archie chuckled.

           

 

_Whatever it takes. Do whatever it takes to kill him._

           

 

“Will do.”

           

 

_Josie. You have to protect her, too._


End file.
